Apparatus for producing uniform cigar fillers



1941- F. H. B. STELZER ET'AL 2,266,284

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING UNIFORM CIGAR FILLERS 25 Filed Sept. 2, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l 'wr romuev- D c. -16, 1941. F. H. BI STELZER Em 2,266,284

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING UNIFORM CIGAR FILLERS s Shee ts-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2, 1938 Dec. 16, 1941. F. H. B. STELZER ET AL APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING UNIFORM CIGAR FILLERS a She ets-S heet 3 Filed Sept. 2. 1938 Patented Dec. 16, 1941 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CIGAR FILLERS UNIFORM Franz Heinrich Benno Stelzer and Herbert Rudolf v Kasper, Dresden,

Universelle Germany, Cigarettenmaschinenfabrik, J. C.

assignors to Muller & 00., Dresden, Germany Application September 2, 1938, Serial In Germany September 7, 1937 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for producing uniform cigar fillers and more particularly to devices operating upon short loose tobacco for compressing it into cigar fillers.

An object of the invention is to produce uniform fillers.

A further object is todistribute loose tobacco uniformly in a forming channel and then pressing the tobacco into the desired filler shape.

A further object is to provide a machineof simple structure and low cost for producing fillers of more uniform quality than machines previously known.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the portion of a cigar filler machine to which the invention is applied.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts another position of the working cycle. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 showing the parts in a third position in the working cycle.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the portion of the device shown in Figures 1 to 3 with the tobacco feeding chute removed.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the left end of the device with the parts positioned as in Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 taken with the parts in the position of Figure 1.

This invention resides in the filler forming structure. Tobacco is prepared and handled in a well understood manner in the chute l which is open at its lower end and is disposed to drop tobacco through the opening 2 in the upper side of the forming channel 3. The forming channel is a mold having the shape desired for the filler and slidably holding the plunger 4 which delivers the compressing force. The plunger 4 is operated through a link 5 which is driven in any suitable manner from time to time.

The aperture 2 of the forming channel 3 is provided with a pivoted gate 6 which swings about a pivot 1 and is controlled by a link 8. Figure 1 shows the gate 6 in fully opened position and Figure 2 shows the gate in closed position. One of the features of the present invention is the positioning of a plate 9 through the aperture 2. This plate 9 is bolted or otherwise secured at H to a bar l0 which is pivotally mounted at l2 to the end of a control arm I 3. A lever l4 controlled by the link [5 is drivingly connected to the bar 10. The arm I3 is pivotally mounted on the machine at 50 so that the plate 9 can be swung into and out of the channel 3, the extreme positions beingshown by-Figures 1 and 2 respectively. A vibratory motion is imparted to the plate 9 through the link I5 and the lever l4. Tobacco delivered from the bottom of the chute I when the gateli is in upraised position drops upon the face of the plate 9 and due to the vibratory movement thereof is distributed uniformly in the channel.

As will be seen from Figure '2 the plate 9 is only withdrawn from the channel far enough to place its lower edge flush with the inner side of the upper wall of the channel and the gate 6 is provided of a size to close with the plate 9 in the aperture 2.

Tobacco delivered into the channel 3 and distributed by the vibratory plate 9 is pressed, as shown in Figure 2, by, the travel of the plunger 4 into the forward end of the channel 3. --The channel opens into a vertical chute 2!) in which a vertically reciprocable plunger 2! slides. The plunger 2| is operated by a swing lever 22 which has a forked end fitting about the pin 24 mounted at 25 upon the plunger 2!. The lower end of the chute 20 is normally covered by a plate 28 which is attached to the lever 29 biased by the spring 36. The lever 29 is curved and attached at 5| to a bell crank lever 3| pivotally mounted on the machine at .30. The free arm of the bell crank lever 3| lies in the path of the arm 32 fastened to the lever 22. Figures 1 and 3 show the operation of the plunger 21 and cover 28. The channel 20 is only opened when the plunger 2| is driven downwardly so that no free tobaccois deposited upon the belt 35 of the cigar forming machine. The channel is only u'ncovered by swinging the plate 28 to its open position, as-shown in Figure 3, when a complete filler is formed by the plunger 4 and the other parts of the machine are in positions to receive the filler. Figure 3 shows the cigar rolling parts of the machine positioned to receive the filler. A bight has been formed in the belt 35 by the upward movement of the bar 26 and the roller 52. The normal level of the belt is that of the upper surface of the fixed table 27.

When the plunger 2i is in raised position in the channel 20, the plunger 4 in the filler forming channel 3 compresses tobacco 33 into the forward end of the channel. During the-initial compressing movement of the plunger 4, the tobacco 33 and 34 is compressed against a swinging knife l6 which at this phase of the operation is disposed in its upward position, as shown in Figure 1. After pressure has been exerted on the tobacco for a short time the knife [6 is swung downwardly and the plunger 4 advances the tobacco into the channel 20, the plunger 2] being withdrawn in the meantime. When compression is complete the swinging knife 16 is brought upwards to sever the outer portions of the compressed tobacco which then is free to fall in the channel 20 upon the 'cover'28. This cut filler rests on the cover 28 until it is pressed out as before described.

Figures 5 and 6 show the knife It in greater detail. It will be observed that the knife has a straight cutting edge and is attached to "a lever I! which is pivoted at It. The outer end of the lever I7 is connected to a controlling link Hi which moves the knife from the position of Figure 5 to that of Figure 6 at appropriate times. The filler forming channeli3 has its lower wen-1 3' shaped to impart to-the pressed tobacco the shape desired for the filler. The knife I6 is brought upwardly against the curved side of the tobacco and the pressure of cutting is then exerted against the plain side-or upper sideof the compressed tobacco. This permits cutting to take place with a minimum disturbanceiof the shape of the tobacco. It also permits-the use of a knife having astraight edge which is much cheaper and simpler to manufacture than a knife having a complicated curved cutting edge. During the compression stroke of the! plunger 4 the knife I6 is maintained in its upper position so that the inner face of the knife forms the closure for the channel '3 against which the tobacco is pressed.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Tobacco dropping into the channel 3 from the shaft! strikes the surface of the plate 9 in consequence of which the tobacco is'loosened up-and at the same time uniformly distributed over the entire width of the channel. certain quantity of tobacco has come in this manner the vibration of the plate 9 is stopped by stopping the movement of the link l'5. At the same time the'arm I3 is shifted fromthe position of Figure l to the position of Figure 2 about its pivot 50 so, that the lower edge of the plate 9 lies flush with the inside of the compression channel. Thereafter, by the movement of the control rod 8 the gate 6 is moved to closed position. The plunger 4 is then moved toward theleft during which movement it pushes before it the tobacco portion 33 which has just been received into the channel. This tobacco portion 33 is pressed against the mass of tobacco 34 already present in the channel. During the for-'- ward movement of the plunger 4 the knife I6 is still in uppermost position as shown in Figure 1. After pressure has been exerted on the tobacco for -a short time the knife [6 is swungdownwardly and the plunger advances the tobacco into the channel 20, the plunger 21 being withdrawn in the meantime. The knife l6 isnow swung upwardly into the position of Figure 3 cutting off the portion of tobacco which projects intothe chute 29. The lever 22 is then swung and the plunger 2| is forceddownwardlyto eject thecut off filler portion. The closure plate 28, actuated by arm 32, uncovers the chute 20 to allow the cut off filler to drop onto the "filler rolling machine.

After a The operations take place in careful sequence and the relation of the operations is best obtained by controlling all of the parts through cams or the like from a single driving source. The manner of connection of the links and levers and the proportioning of the cams is clearly a matter lying within the ability of the skilled mechanic. It is also obvious that driving means other than cams could be employed to accomplish the synchronizing of the various movements described.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope'of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a filler forming device having a forming channel'with a tobacco receiving aperture, a compressing plunger in the channel, and a tobacco feeding means for delivering tobacco to said channel through the aperture: a distributor in said aperture beneath said feeding means, vibrating means for the distributor whereby to loosen and spread tobacco passing through said aperture, and a single shifting means for the distributor to move the same into and out of said channel.

2. Afiller forming device comprisingtobacco feeding means, a filler forming channel having an aperture disposed to receive tobacco from said feeding means, pressing means operable in said channel to compress and form tobacco therein, a distributor, and a single movable means for mounting said distributor and for moving said distributor through said aperture and into said channel whereby to loosen and spread tobacco passing through said aperture and for moving said distributor out of said channel so as to permit said pressing means to'operate in the channel.

3. A filler forming device comprising tobacco feeding means, a filler forming channel having an aperturedisp'osed to receive-tobacco from said feeding means, pressing means operable in said channel'to compress and form tobacco therein, a distributor, means for vibrating said distributor, and separate means for mounting said distributor for movement into and out of said channel through said aperture.

4. A filler forming device comprising tobacco feeding means, a filler forming channel having an aperture disposed to receive tobacco from said feeding means, closure means for said aperture operable to prevent entrance of tobacco into said channel, pressing means in said channel for compressing and forming tobacco therein, and a vibratable distributor mountedfor movement into and out of said channel through said aperture, said distributor lying in the aperture beside said closure means When in position to clear said channel; 5. A tobacco filler forming'device comprising tobacco feeding means, a filler forming channel having an aperture'disposed to receive tobacco from said feeding means,.p'ressing means slidably mounted in'said channelfor pressing tobacco to one end of said channel, a vibratable distributor mounted for movement into and out of said channel through said aperture whereby to loosen and spread tobacco passing through said aperture, said distributor moving out of said channel when said pressing means advances to compress the tobacco, a knife mounted for movement and away from said delivery end, a plunger mounted in said chute to eject fillers therefrom, and means for operating said plunger and said closure to open the delivery end of said chute 5 and eject the fillers therefrom.

FRANZ HEINRICH BENNO STELZER. HERBERT RUDOLF KASPER. 

